You Danced
by CSIvHP11
Summary: You lose yourself in the dance. The shadows from the chair legs are hypnotic as they move beneath your feet. The music draws you in, erasing the knowledge of everything but you, her, and the dance. Fluffy Cleena AU.


**Fluffy Cleena AU. Inspired by 'We Danced' by Brad Paisley**

_And we danced  
Out there on that empty hardwood floor  
The chairs up and the lights turned way down low  
The music played, we held each other close  
And we danced_

Chair legs rise into the air around you, their adjoined seats overturned onto the tables. The ceiling lights throw their shadows in chaotic patterns, a spider web of gloom across the floor. You pull the broom through light and dark alike, sweeping up all of the trash dropped by the day's patrons.

You move with an odd mixture of exhaustion and enthusiasm, eager to leave after a long shift. Your legs are slow and your arms heavy. Every thought is forced. The desire to get home and fall into bed, however, keeps you moving.

A small squeak, only audible before and after hours, sounds from the corner of the bar.

"I'm sorry but we're closed," you call, focusing on the trash beneath one of the booths. An ink phone number is visible between the folds of a napkin.

"I know," a voice replies. "I'm afraid I left my purse."

You stop sweeping and turn. Her soft face is visible through the chair legs. Worry covers her face, her eyes following you as you move through the room.

"I bet it's the one I just put behind the bar," you tell her. You slip beneath the bar entrance and grab the purse.

She has reached the bar when you set the bag down. Her face lights up.

"Thank you so much."

"You're lucky, a lot of people will just take an abandoned purse."

"I know." She watches you carefully as if searching for some recognition. "You're new," she slowly says. "I've never seen you before."

You nod and rub the back of your neck. "Tonight's my first closing shift."

"Well, tell Myka she made a good hire."

Your eyebrow quirks up. "You know Myka?"

She laughs lightly. "We've known each other for a few years." She held her hand out over the bar. "I'm Leena."

You take her hand. Her skin is warm and soft beneath yours. "Claudia."

You quickly find yourself deep in conversation, all exhaustion forgotten.

The topics jump from her job as a pre-school teacher to her having Myka as a TA in a child phycology class. From you finding a mentor in Helena to Helena suggesting you work at the bar to help pay your way through grad school.

By the time she tells you about how she introduced Helena and Myka to each other, you have forever lost yourself to her.

When she finally checks her phone, Leena laughs lightly and apologizes for keeping you so late. You don't want her to go. She grabs for her purse but you pull it back slightly. Her eyebrows furrow.

"One last thing," you say. "Before I let you go."

"Yes?"

You hold your hand over the bar. "Dance with me?"

She watches you for a moment, then takes your hand. "I'd love to."

You lead her down the bar, towards where the counter lifts up so you can join her, then onto the dance floor. You pull the stereo remote from your pocket and turn on a slower song.

You step close and raise your arms to wrap around her neck. She slips her arms around your waist and pulls you against her.

She is slightly taller than you and you have to look up slightly as you begin to spin.

You lose yourself in the dance. The shadows from the chair legs are hypnotic as they move beneath your feet. The music draws you in, erasing the knowledge of everything but you, her, and the dance.

-oOo-

"What's Leena's number?"

Myka raises an eyebrow as you barge through her door.

"You met Leena?" she asks.

"Yes, but I forgot to get her number. What is it?"

Myka's head tilts to the side slightly and she furrows her brow. "I don't really like giving out friends' numbers."

"Please, it's important." The words drip with urgency, more than you had intended, but you can't bring yourself to care. The need to find Leena again has overtaken you. "I need to see her again."

Myka closely regards you. Her face softened.

"I can ask her to come by tonight."

She goes to say more, but you don't give her the chance between your exuberant thanks.

-oOo-

Excitement bubbles up in you. Your eyes move around the room in a continuous loop, scanning for the curly hair or light eyes.

You find them late in the night. She is sitting in a corner booth and lazily watching you. She smiles when you make eye contact.

She doesn't approach the bar until the rest of the patrons have left. She picks at a loose thread on her jeans as she walks up.

"Myka said you wanted to see me again," she says. Her voice washes over you like the first breath after leaving a smoking room. You smile.

"I didn't get your number last night."

"I know. Maybe there's a reason I didn't give it to you."

Your face drops. Fear and pain rises in your chest.

"Maybe I wanted to force you to ask Myka about me. Maybe I called Myka, asking her to suggest us meeting again."

Your smile returns instantly. "Or, you could have just given me your number."

She shrugs and laughs. "What's the fun in that?"

-oOo-

_Two years later_

"Hey."

You look up from the glass you are wiping down. Leena is smiling at you as she leans on the bar.

The corners of your mouth pull up on their own, your horrible shift forgotten.

"What are you doing here?" you ask.

"I can't just stop by? Enjoy the atmosphere, music, company?" Her nose crinkles like it always does when she teases you.

"Then get to it," you say as you gesture to the empty room.

She laughs and turns to take in the room. She leans back against the bar.

The ring in your shirt pocket grows heavy against your skin. You just look at her, taking in every bit of her. The way her purple shirt compliments her skin. The way her curls bounce with each movement. The way you can barely breathe in her company.

You have been waiting for the perfect moment. You can't think of a moment more perfect than this.

You fish the ring out. The metal is warm against your skin. The purple amber is deep and clear in the dim light while the diamonds that surround it sparkle with each movement.

You reach out and hook your hand around her elbow. She turns. Her smile drops slightly at your serious expression.

"Claudia?" she slowly asks. "What…"

You cut her off by raising the ring. "Will you marry me?"

She stares at the ring. Her mouth moves soundlessly and tears well up. Her eyes begin to dart between you and the ring.

"Leena?" you softly say, hoping to pull out her answer.

"I didn't expect this," she says.

Pride tries to rise up in you – this is the first time you have ever managed to surprise her – but anxiety takes up your entire being.

She wraps her hands around yours, the ring trapped in the middle.

"One last thing, before I agree to marry you."

"Yeah?"

"Dance with me?"

_And we danced_  
_Out there on that empty hardwood floor_  
_The chairs up and the lights turned way down low_  
_The music played, we held each other close_  
_And we danced_


End file.
